Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli
Telugu has been accused in the United States of allegedly stabbing two teenage passengers with a metal fork during a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, forcing the plane to divert to Boston.
The accused, identified as Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, was arrested on October 25, 2025 and charged in US District Court with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to injure while traveling by air. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to a professional profile, Usiripalli has been a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago since 2022. Court filings revealed that Usiripalli, who entered the U.S. on a student visa, is pursuing a master’s degree in biblical studies. It currently has no legal status in the United States. A search of his social media profiles also revealed a YouTube channel called ‘Palson Pranith’ with two subscribers and no videos.
The incident was reported on Lufthansa Flight 431 shortly after the meal. Usiripalli allegedly assaulted a 17-year-old boy who was sitting next to him and stabbed him in the shoulder with a metal fork. He then allegedly lunged at another 17-year-old passenger who was sitting nearby and stabbed him in the back of the head, leaving the teenager with a laceration.
As flight attendants and passengers tried to restrain him, Usiripalli allegedly simulated shooting by forming the shape of a gun with his fingers and pretending to pull the trigger. He then turned to the female passenger and slapped her before attempting to punch a member of the cabin crew.
The commotion led the pilots to divert the plane to Boston Logan International Airport, where Usiripalli was detained by law enforcement officers after landing.
If convicted, Usiripalli faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Published – 28 Oct 2025 20:31 IST
